Apparatus for heating water.



' A. C. DUNHAM.

APPARATUS PoR HEATING WATER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.. 23, 1909. y

Patented 0013.26, 1909.

nam. A

nDerL-fol" s/l'n By /Z A f fairy/cg STIN C. DUNHAM, 0F HARTFORD,CONNECTICUT.

APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER.

Specification of Letterslatcnt.

'Patented oct. 2c, i909.

Application filed January 23, 1909.` Serial No.473,877.

To aZZ whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUSTIN C. D'UNHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in'Apparatus forHeating Water, .of which the following is a specification, accompaniedby drawings forming a part of the same, in which- Figure 1 is a sideview of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2 2,Fig. 3, and Fig. 3 is a plan View with the top plate removed.

lSimilar reference figures refer to similar parts in the differentviews.

My invention relates to automatic apparatus for maintaining a tank fullof heated Water, comprisino a cold water chamber in which the water 1sheated anda tank to receive the heated water, from which it may be drawnas desired, and it consists in the construction and arrangement of partsas hereinafter described and pointed 4out in the annexed claims.

My invention includes means for automatically regulating the heatapplied to the water, said means operated by the amount of water in thehot water tank, and means for furnishing water heated to varyingtemperatures by the same source of heat;

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

1 is an inclosing case mounted on a base 2 and provided ,with a topplate or cover 3. The case 1` is divided, in the present instance, bythree transverse partitions into a central warm water tank 4,4 a hotwater tank 5 and chambers 6, 6, for the cold water at `either end of thecase. The walls and bottom of the -case and the various partitions arepreferably double, having an air space or a non- -heat conductingmaterial 7, such as asbestos chamber 6, as shown in 2. At the bot-4 tomof each chamber 6 is an inverted cup shaped shell 11 having openings 12communicating with the lchamber 6.. Beneath each shell 11 I provideheating means 13, by which the water inclosed within the shell isheated. In the present instance the heating means consists of aresistance coil connected by wires 14 and 15 with the poles of anelectric generator, not shown. Any other 'method suitable for heatingthe Water in the shell l11 may, however, be employed.

The ,heated water from the shells 11 is conducted by pipes 16, 16, to aYhot water receptacle separate from the chambers 6, 6. The pipes 16, 16,are provided with elbows 17 and 18, and are preferably extended downwardnearly to the bottom ofthe hot Water receptacles. In the presentinstance the receptacle for hot wateris divided by the partition 19 intotwo unequal divisions 4 and 5, forming separate tanks for the heatedwater, connected by an opening 20 through the partition 19 near the topof the tank 5. *TheA pipe 16 from one cold water chamber 6 is arrangedto deliver the heated water into the bottom of the smaller tank 5, whileheated water from the other chamber is conducted into the bottom ofthe-larger tank 4.

As the tank 4 is considerably larger' than,

the tank 5, the tank v'4 will not only receive the hot water through itspipe 16 from the chamber 6, but alsov the overflow from the tank 5,which will consist of relatively cooler water since the pipe 16 isarranged to deliver the hottest water at the bottom of the tank 5. Owingto the difference in size, the temperature of the water inthe tank 5will, therefore, tend tobe somewhat higher than the temperature of thewater in the tank 4. The diderencemay be accentuated, if desired, bycausing the hot water from both chambers to be delivered into the tank5, in

`which case thetank 4 would be filled vfrom the overflow of tank 5alone.

In the p'resent instance the wateris heated by the absorption of heatunits from the re-A sistance coils 13, 13, connected with'the poles ofan electric generator in the usual and well known manner by the Wires14v and 15. I provide for, shutting ofi' the heat when the water in tank4 has reached a predetermined level by interrupting the wire 15, andproviding it with contact points 21 and 22 held on an arm 23, supportedin any suitable position,'in the present instance, attached to the wall19 in the tank 4. A switch 24 is arranged to connect the cont-act points21 and 22 and is operated by a float 25, which raises the switch fromthe contact points 21 and22 when the water in the tank reaches thepredetermined level, as shown in Fig. 2.

When lthe water is belowthe predetermined level the float-25 falls bygravity, andthe switch 24 is lowered and the contact points 21 and 22are connected. Faucets 26 and 27 communicate with the tanks '4 and 5respectively, by Which the Warm or hot Water may be obtained for use.

I also provide openings in the top plate 3, as shown by dotted lines' inFig. 3, With removable covers by which access may be gained to the ballvalves 9, to the inverted shells 11 and to the electrical switch 24. Y

I have shovvn my improved Water heating apparatus comprising two coldWater chambers G, .connected With single hot and Warm Water tanks 5 and4, but it is obvious that any desired number and arrangement of tanksand chambers might be provided.

In operation the cold Water is admitted through the pipes 8 into thechamber 6, from Whichit enters the shell 11 Where it is heated by theheating means 13. The hot -Water rises through the pipe 16 and isdelivered to the hot Water tank 5. The overflow from the tank 5, ofslightly lower temperature, fills the tank 4, and, when thepredetermined level is reached in the tank 4, the float 25 lifts theswitch 24, breaking' the circuit and shutting off the coil 13 from thesource.. of heat. Entrance of cpld Water into the chamber 6 is preventedby the closing of the ball valves 9 when the balls l0 have reached thepredetermined level. As the Water is removed from the tanks 4 and 5 thefloat 25 drops, making the connection between the contact points 21 and22, the coil 13 is again heated and heated Water is transferred to thetanks 4 and 5.- Thus the hot Water tanks are automatically maintainedfull of hot Water, and the heat is retained in the Water for aconsiderable period vby the non-conducting lining 7 of the tanks.

Although I do not Wish to confine myself to the employment ofelectricity as a heating medium, the above described method and'apparatus are especially adapted to the use of electricity for heatingWater for household uses, such as lavatory and culinary purposes and thelike. The heat is applied to a relatively small quantity of Water by theresistance coils 13, and, as soon as heated, it is transferred to aseparate receptacle. By the use of two receptacles for heated Water ofunequal size, With an overflow communication, I enable users to securefrom the larger receptacle Water suficiently heated for-ordinarypurposes, and from the smaller receptacle Water maintained at aconsiderable higher temperature.

I claim,

1. In an apparatus for heating Water, the combination With 'a cold Waterchamber and a hot Water tank, of means for heating alimited portion ofthe Water in said chamber,

Water to said hot Water tank.

inclosed portion of Water at the bottom of said chamber, and a pipearranged to conduct the heated Water from said heating means into saidhot water tank.

4. In an apparatus for heating Water, the combination with a cold Waterchamber, means for heating the Water in said chamber, of a hot Watertank arranged to receive the heated Water from said chamber, and asecond tank arranged to receive the overflow from said hot Water tank.

5. In an apparatus for heating Water, the

vcombination With a cold Water chamber,A

heating means at the bottom of said chamber arranged to heat the Waterin said chamber and a source of supply for said heating means, of a hotWater tank arranged to re-,

ceive the heated Water from said chamber, and means operated by theamount of Water in said tank for connecting and disconnecting saidheating means With its source of electrical supply.

- 6. In an .apparatus for heating Water, the combination With a coldWater chamber and a hot Water tank, of an inclosing shell at the bottomof said chamber, said shell provided With openings communicating Withsaid chamber, heating means for heating the Water in said shell, meansfor transferring the heated Water from said shell to said tank, andmeans operatedby the amount of Water in sald tank for connecting anddisconnecting said heating means from its source of electrical supply.

7 In an apparatus for heating Water, the combination With a cold Waterchamber, an electrical resistance coil at the bottom of said chamberarranged to heat the Water in said chamber, of a hot Water tank arrangedto receive the heated Water from said charnb'er, means for transferringthe heated Water 4from said chamber to said tank, a switch arranged toconnect and disconnect said'resistance coil from a source of electricalsupply, and a float in said tank arranged to operate said switch as theWater in said tank rises and falls.

8. In an apparatus for heatin Water, the combination with a cold Water camber and a hot water tank, of means for heating a portion of theWater'in said chamber, means for transferring said heated Water to saidn tank, and automatic means operated by thel amount of Water in saidtank for controlling the operation of said heating means.

9. ln an apparatus for heating Water, the combi/nation with a cold Waterchamber and a hotwater tank, of an inclosing shell at the bottom of saidchamber, said shell provided with openings Communicating With saidchamber, and heating means inclosed Within said shell.

l0. ln an apparatus for heating Water, the combination With a cold Watertank and a hot Water tank, of means for supplying water to said coldWater tank, means for maintaining a predetermined Water line in saideold Water tank, means for heating a limited portion of the Water insaid cold Water tank, and means for transferring the water as heated tosaid hot water tank.

11. In an apparatus for heating water, the

combination with a cold Water tank, of

means for v.supplying Water to said tank,

-means for controlling the Water line therein,

means for heating a limited portion of the water in said tank, and meansfor Conducting the water as heated out of said tank.

l2. In an apparatus for heating Water, the combination With a cold Watertank, of means for maintaining a predetermined amount of Water in saidtank, means for heating a limited' portion of the Water in said tank, aseparate hot Water tank, and means for transferring the water as heatedto said hot Water tank, 'comprising a pipe having its discharge belowthe Water level in said hot Water tank.

AUSTIN e; DUNHAM.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM F. HENNEY, A. M. BAKER.

